O intrepid Kurt Benkert, are ye listening?
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) celebrates after the game-winning touchdown pass to Tee Higgins in overtime of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. The Bengals took a 30-24 win in overtime to remain in the post season chase. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Quarterback debates drive quite a bit of any and all NFL-related discourse, and regardless of how you stack the best of the best, Cincinnati Bengals superstar Joe Burrow is among the elites.
Some contrarians such as professional Madden player Kurt Benkert take courageous stands against the grain and suggest Burrow was drafted into a highly favorable situation. They’ll even tell you with a straight face that, if any of Burrow’s top-flight peers were drafted to the Bengals, they’d have won a Super Bowl by now.
Josh Allen every day of the week.
Josh might have a Super Bowl already if he had the weapons Burrow has. https://t.co/FziJneWNWP
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) August 5, 2025
Joe Burrow is a GREAT quarterback.
Joe Burrow would probably not have had nearly the amount of success if he ended up in Kyler Murray’s situation.
Jared Goff, same boat.
QB success is SO situational. That’s why when you put them in a vacuum Allen and Lamar are at the top.
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) August 6, 2025
Coming off a season in which he led the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns, Burrow is actually regarded as the second-best QB. That’s right. Ahead of the Bills’ Josh Allen and AFC North rival Lamar Jackson.
Experts conclude only Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes are unanimous Tier 1 QBs
Mike Sando of The Athletic just released his annual list of QB tiers, which surveyed a collection of 50 anonymous panelists. They consist of current and former GMs, assistant GMs, eight head coaches, 15 coordinators, and other executives and coaches. A group of folks who are as engrossed in football and ball knowledge as you could ever find.
Not a single one amongst the 50 surveyed opined that Burrow belonged anywhere else but the very top tier. I’ll share the full list below, along with the three notable quotes that Sando shared about our beloved Joe.
Six GMs, six assistant GMs, six former GMs, five other execs, eight head coaches and 19 other coaches, including 15 coordinators, comprise @SandoNFL's 50-person panel.
The goal was simple: Tier every veteran QB in the NFL.
Did they get it right? pic.twitter.com/4UyajtKvfs
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 11, 2025
One head coach said Burrow is, “the closest thing to Joe Montana that I have seen.” Another defensive coach labeled Burrow “a stud” who you must confuse pre-snap or he’ll make you pay. He also respects Burrow’s arm talent, which is underrated in perpetuity because of the generational rockets attached to the right shoulders of Allen and Mahomes.
What stood out most to me — a big statement considering the Montana comparison — was as follows. An offensive line coach who would know if it’s a quarterback’s fault for taking too many sacks chimed in with this:
“To me, it’s Mahomes and then Burrow if I had to rank them. Burrow could be a 1 with a red cross on him. They don’t protect him, and he gets the s— knocked out of him constantly.”
I’ve shared the following data more than once in my Stripe Hype work already. Still bears repeating here.
most brutal stat you’ll read today:
Joe Burrow has been blitzed at the #1 LOWEST rate of any QB the last 4 years
–but–
he has been hit within 2.5 seconds of snap at the #1 HIGHEST rate 👀
Burrow has been hit within 2.5 seconds 25% MORE than the #2 most hit QB in the NFL 🤯 pic.twitter.com/QOCOmIvRgg
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 1, 2025
Hey, Kurt? Just wanted to check in buddy.
Speaking of offensive lines and Josh Allen, people might forget this but all Burrow did several years ago was go into Buffalo and dismantle Allen’s Bills 27-10 with three of his starting offensive linemen sidelined by injuries.
Also, anyone who says Burrow was drafted into a better situation than Lamar was to the Ravens apparently doesn’t know NFL history whatsoever. Look no further than the two meetings between those QBs last year, when Burrow put up 820 passing yards and 72 points but lost both times.
Shall I continue down that path? Yes I shall. Because apparently some of you non-Bengals fans still need to get a grip on this man’s greatness.
Joe Burrow. Short week. Prime time. Thursday night. In Baltimore. No Tee Higgins. No left tackle. No backup RB. Sacked thrice. Ravens had 13 QB hits. Still threw for 428 yards and four TDs. Put some respect on this man's name. #Bengals #WhoDey 🐅 pic.twitter.com/TFtoyMrE88
— Matt Fitzgerald (@MattFitz_gerald) November 8, 2024
Joe Burrow vs. the Ravens in Week 10 —pressured on 48% of his dropbacks: 428 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs.
Mahomes was pressured on 47% of dropbacks in the first half against the Eagles. We saw how that looked.
Bengals fans have normalized Burrow magic in awful circumstances. https://t.co/UrQHS5EYRD
— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) February 10, 2025
I’m not saying Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, or Patrick Mahomes are bad quarterbacks. From a pure “playing the position” standpoint, though, you’d be hard-pressed to argue that Burrow isn’t the best on the planet right now, especially given the degree of difficulty in Cincinnati.
What separates Burrow, in my humble opinion, is the fact that no matter how bad his pass protection is, or how many points the Bengals give up, or whatever scheme defenses throw at him, he is still borderline unstoppable — and it’s been this way for a long time.
Joe Burrow since he got in the NFL: pic.twitter.com/qHTCGPDxs7
— Wincy (@WincinnatiPod) August 7, 2025
Joe Burrow passing grade in 2024:
🎯 1st under pressure
🎯 2nd when kept clean
🎯 1st when blitzed
🎯 1st when not blitzed
🎯 1st vs man coverage
🎯 2nd vs zone coverageThe only QB in the top three of every category 🚀
More stats: https://t.co/DO7EZpxifx https://t.co/FMjZZo3ecJ pic.twitter.com/AmuvuxCLVq
— PFF CIN Bengals (@PFF_Bengals) January 9, 2025
I can’t wait for Burrow to finally lift that Lombardi Trophy. Hey Bengals, just give him an *average* defense and *slightly below average* pass protection, and watch him give your organization that first-ever Super Bowl. Really not asking for the moon here.
